Wine Openers (Twist Corkscrews)

How we tested

For opening bottles of wine, we like to use a waiter’s corkscrew—it’s fast, neat, and requires little physical strength, at least when used correctly. The trouble is, using it correctly takes practice: You must learn how to insert the worm (the metal spiral that pulls the cork out), how to keep it straight and centered within the cork while turning, and where to position any levers to extract the cork.

Twist corkscrews are far less intimidating, in part because they promise to take some of the guesswork out of these steps. And less intimidating is good, since a recent study by consumer research group Mintel revealed that more than half of all legal wine drinkers in the United States describe themselves as “beginners,” regardless of age.

There are two kinds of twist corkscrews: continuous-turn models (also known as corkpulls or screwpulls) and winged corkscrews. Both types have a base that hugs or sits on the neck of the wine bottle and a handle that helps the user center the worm and twist it straight down into the cork. With a continuous‑turn model, you then use the same handle to keep twisting until the worm comes back out with the cork attached. With a winged corkscrew, you depress the two wings on either side of the handle to lift out the inserted worm and cork together.

We wanted to know if either type of corkscrew was worth buying, so we tested nine models—four continuous-turn models and five winged models—priced from $8.90 to $24.95, pitting them against our favorite waiter’s corkscrew, Pulltap’s Classic Evolution Corkscrew by Pulltex ($39.95). We used each model to open 20 bottles: 10 with natural corks and 10 with synthetic corks, which are made from a denser, less flexible plastic that makes them more challenging to remove.

First, the good news: Novice testers did in fact find both types of twist corkscrews to be significantly more intuitive and user-friendly than the waiter’s corkscrew. And there was only one malfunction; 199 of the initial 200 bottles were successfully opened without the cork breaking. Still, a few differences made continuous-turn models even easier to use than winged models.

Why We Preferred Continuous-Turn Corkscrews

For one thing, winged corkscrews were somewhat less intuitive and a bit fussier to operate. First-time users were unsure about where to put their hands (around the wings? around the base?) and how to position the wings (up or down position to start?). The corkscrews themselves were big (most were more than 7.25 inches long), and some were surprisingly heavy (1 pound or more), making them unwieldy when balanced on the slender necks of wine bottles. And guesswork was still required to determine how far in to twist the worm.

By contrast, testers found the continuous-turn models to be practically foolproof. It was obvious how to position the simple frames over the bottles’ necks, and their slimmer profiles and lighter weight (all but one were under 2.5 ounces) made them more comfortable to hold and use. Moreover, a single motion—twisting the handle clockwise—not only pushes the worm into the cork but also lifts the cork as soon as the worm is fully submerged in it—no guesswork required.

Continuous-turn models usually performed better, too. Although the winged corkscrews’ levers required less effort to operate and made the process a hair faster (an average of 13.2 seconds compared with the continuous-turn models’ 14.7 seconds per bottle), these models tended to be rougher on the corks. If a new or well-preserved cork gets a little torn or gouged when the worm enters it, it shouldn’t be a problem—in most cases, you should still be able to get the cork out intact. But corkscrews that extensively rip newer corks can spell trouble for older, more crumbly corks. So after testing each opener on natural and synthetic corks, we used the top- and bottom-performing models to open bottles of Bordeaux that had long, brittle corks. The top corkscrews handled these bottles just fine, but the poorer performers mangled these corks, sending detritus into the wine and in two cases even breaking off the cork inside the bottle.

Differences in Worm Design

Regardless of the type of corkscrew, the design of the worm was critical. First, the worm needed to be at least 1.9 inches long to accommodate corks of different lengths (the corks in our testing were between 1.5 and 1.9 inches long, though they can be as long as 2.3 inches in some bottles.) Shorter worms—found on several of the winged corkscrews—didn’t always burrow deep enough into longer corks, forcing us to wiggle and coax the ends of these corks out of their bottles and making it more likely that they would break. Almost all the continuous-turn models had worms that were at least 4.75 inches long, ensuring that they could handle corks of any length.

Worm shape was also important. We preferred worms with smooth wire spirals, as they drove through the corks gently. One winged corkscrew had a worm shaped like a rough drill bit, and it performed similarly to one, gnawing and splitting the natural corks and boring large holes through the smoother synthetic versions. As we’d seen in our waiter’s corkscrew testing, worms with a nonstick coating were also preferable to those with plain, uncoated steel; the coating helps reduce friction between the worm and the cork, making for a smoother entry into the cork, easier twisting, and less damage to the cork.

So, Should You Buy a Twist Corkscrew?

We still think our winning waiter’s corkscrew, Pulltap’s Classic Evolution Corkscrew by Pulltex, is the best tool for opening wine bottles—and particularly for opening bottles with older or more crumbly corks. Although it does have a learning curve, it removes corks more quickly (on average, in about 9 seconds) and affords more control, as you can alter the entry angle and location to remove corks that get stuck or broken in the bottle. And it’s more compact than the smallest continuous-turn model, taking up less room in your gadget drawer.

That said, a twist corkscrew is an excellent choice for wine drinkers of all experience levels and particularly for novices. Our favorite, the continuous-turn Le Creuset Table Model Corkpull ($19.95), is dead simple to use. Plus, it removes corks in an average of 12 seconds. Its 4.75-inch spiral worm can handle corks of any length, and its nonstick coating helped ensure the smoothest, cleanest cork entry and exit of any of the twist corkscrews. Finally, it’s relatively slim and lightweight, making it easy to handle and store.

Methodology

We tested nine twist corkscrews—four continuous turn and five winged models—priced from $8.90 to $24.95. Pitting them against our favorite waiter’s corkscrew, Pulltap’s Classic Evolution Corkscrew by Pulltex ($39.95), we used each corkscrew to open 20 bottles (10 with natural corks and 10 with synthetic corks), timing each cork’s removal. We had users of different hand sizes, dominant hands, and levels of bottle-opening experience try each model and used the top and bottom performers to open bottles known to have longer, more crumbly corks. We evaluated the models on their ease of use and performance. All models were purchased online, and they appear in order of preference.

Ease of Use: We evaluated the models on how intuitive and easy they were to use and how comfortable they were to hold and handle.

Performance: We evaluated the models on how quickly and neatly they removed the corks.

The Results

Note: America's Test Kitchen continuously updates our equipment reviews and taste tests. The written content below is the most up-to-date information available and may not match what appears in the video segment.

Key:

Good

Fair

Poor

Winner

Highly Recommended

Le Creuset Table Model Corkpull

Le Creuset Table Model Corkpull

This continuous-turn corkscrew was astonishingly easy to use, requiring no expertise and removing corks in an average of 12 seconds. Its 4.75-inch worm accommodates corks of any length, and its nonstick coating helped ensure that it pierced even brittle older corks almost as smoothly and neatly as our waiter’s corkscrew. It’s slim and lightweight—nearly as compact as our favorite waiter’s corkscrew—making it easy to handle and store.

Rabbit Self-Pulling Corkscrew

Rabbit Self-Pulling Corkscrew

The slim profile and grippy plastic of this continuous-turn model made it feel particularly sleek and comfortable in the hands of most testers. Its long, Teflon-coated worm removed corks almost as cleanly as our winner, but it sat a little loosely within its frame, making it harder to aim and center the worm in the cork.

Vacu Vin Twister Corkscrew

Vacu Vin Twister Corkscrew

With a long, Teflon-coated worm, this continuous-turn corkscrew did a very good job of removing corks of all kinds. Most testers appreciated how the padded base locked into place over the bottleneck, making it feel very secure in the hand. Its petal-shaped handle drew mixed opinions, however: Some liked its larger size, but others found its slick plastic a bit hard to grip while turning.

Rabbit Wing Corkscrew

Rabbit Wing Corkscrew

The lone standout among winged corkscrews, this model was fairly intuitive and easy to use, with wings that lifted up when the unit was placed over a bottleneck, indicating to first-time testers that they needed to put their hands on the base. It removed corks in just under 10 seconds—almost as quickly as our winning waiter’s corkscrew—and was gentle on testers’ wrists, thanks to the lever power provided by its powerful wings. But its worm tore the cork a bit, and it was still slightly unwieldy to maneuver.

WMF Clever & More Corkscrew with Bottle Opener

$10.03

WMF Clever & More Corkscrew with Bottle Opener

Some testers liked how compact this model was, but as the smallest and lightest of the winged corkscrews, it cramped larger hands. Several testers also felt that its wings were too stubby and its base too short to grip securely. Still, it removed corks quickly, smoothly, and relatively cleanly, thanks to its medium-length, PTFE-coated worm.

More Details

Type

Winged

Weight

6.4 oz

Materials

Polypropylene plastic, PTFE-coated and chrome-plated stainless steels

Dimensions

2.5 x 7.25 x 1.3 in

Worm length

2 in

model_number

06.5818.4040

Ease of Use

Performance

$10.03

Not Recommended

OXO Steel Winged Corkscrew

$24.95

OXO Steel Winged Corkscrew

The heaviest model in the lineup, this overbuilt winged corkscrew was a beast to maneuver and stabilize on bottlenecks. Its sleek metal wings clung to the base, confusing first-time users, who incorrectly tried to hold them down while turning the handle. Even when used correctly, however, those thin, curved wings were a little uncomfortable to grab. That said, the nonstick worm did a good job of removing both natural and synthetic corks.

KitchenAid Winged Corkscrew

$19.99

KitchenAid Winged Corkscrew

Testers liked this winged corkscrew’s stable, rubber-lined base, which latched securely onto bottlenecks. But the unit was large and heavy, making it cumbersome to manipulate otherwise. And lacking a nonstick coating, its plain metal worm took longer to remove corks and gouged them more noticeably on the way in.

More Details

Type

Winged

Weight

15.25 oz

Materials

Cast zinc alloy, thermoplastic rubber (TPR), steel, nylon

Dimensions

3.25 x 8.6 x 1.75 in

Worm length

1.8 in

model_number

KN201OHOBA

Ease of Use

Performance

$19.99

OXO Steel Corkpull

$24.95

OXO Steel Corkpull

The only continuous-turn corkscrew not to earn our recommendation, this large, top-heavy model was a true pain to hold and operate, taking nearly 20 seconds to remove a single cork. The base’s design made it difficult to see how far the worm had driven into the cork, forcing users to turn and turn the handle, oblivious to the progress made. Worse, while it handled newer natural corks relatively neatly, it ripped and mauled older natural corks and synthetic versions.

Cuisinart Winged Corkscrew

$8.90

Cuisinart Winged Corkscrew

This model’s worm was just too short, forcing testers to wiggle and coax the last ½ inch of the cork out of the bottle; it was the only model to actually break several corks. The worm itself lacked a nonstick coating—not that it would have helped much, since its drill bit–like design gnawed gaping holes in both synthetic and natural corks and shredded the most brittle cork we tried it on. Users also found its dinky arms uncomfortable to hold, despite their grippy rubber tips.

More Details

Type

Winged

Weight

9.1 oz

Materials

Stainless steel, plastic

Dimensions

2.25 x 7.5 x 1.5 in

Worm length

1.5 in

model_number

CTG-00-WIC

Ease of Use

Performance

$8.90

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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